Dreams last so long
by Whatever41269
Summary: Fate is not always fair to the individual. But she is always just. When mistakes on both sides changes the beloved ending to our favourite story, Fate does not shrink from her duty, even when all that was wanted was a happy ending. AU- works as a One Shot, but not intended as one.
1. Even after you've gone

Dreams last so long

Even after you've gone.

_Authors Comment: Greetings once again. I hope you are all faring well. I came up with the idea for this fic a few days ago now, really on the day it should have been published. Alas, it's a little late for that. Nevertheless, now is just as good a time as March 1, save only that I can neither pinch nor punch anyone. Probably a good thing. This particular chapter, and the whole story if that is what it turns into, was inspired buy Jewel's "You were meant for me", and should be read ideally listening to said song. _

_More importantly it's kinda AU, in that the game didn't finish the way we all know it should. Read on and sue me not, lest ye be destroyed. Not sure if this will get more attention than "A chasing the wind", which I haven't forgotten about._

* * *

Squall stood alone on the balcony. Behind him people were celebrating. The great witch had been killed. He had returned meaning into the life of so many others, but he knew that he would forever be missing something from his. He leant forward, resting his weight on Garden's strong stone. Alone, bathed in the light of the moon, he contrast the mass of festivities that was barely contained by the building. In the wake of victory he had been given everything. Everything but what he wanted most. Here, on this balcony, was as close as he felt he would get. But even here his silent request of the moon was met with a steady stillness, a soft denial, and a firm reprimand, as if he ask for more than Hyne would give.

"You know, Squall, I had thought that this war would have changed you" a soft female voice spoke, as it's owner slowly walked up behind him. As she lightly stepped up next to him, Quistis felt a strong sense of Deja vu. She had been here before, as had he. He was nearly as cold as ever, especially so this evening. Before, when they had both become SeeD's again, he had be looking for something he didn't know he needed. Now, it was as if he was chasing after the memory Dream. One that he had held once, but now refused to give it up. Quistis was not the answer back then, and she very much doubted she would be the answer now. But to leave Squall flail in his own head wouldn't have been right, if she was any kind of friend at all.

"I don't want to talk to you right now." His voice was low and firm, hard and soft at the same time. "I'm sorry Quistis, but I don't feel like abiding anyone's company tonight". His reply carried the weight, of someone who had taken time to consider his reply.

"Squall... why can't you be happy?" she said anxiously, "Tonight is a night to be celebrated. We are all trying our best to enjoy it! Zell... Zell almost choked on his hot dogs, Selphie even managed to get Irvine stupid hate off..."

"How can you say we should Celebrate?" he said keeping his eyes fixed on the moon. "When she isn't here. How could you even expect me to think about going back in there?"

"Squall, I know you loved Rinoa. But she wouldn't want you to remain in this state of Grief!"

"State of grief," Squall replied with a growl, "You, and the rest of Rin's so called friends were not complaining when that very same grief tore from Ultimecia here own Guardian Force. You were not Complaining when Griever turned on Tiamat at my behest. You were not complaining when that foul witch fell to 'End of Heart'! Why would you complain!? It gained it's power by her sacrifice. My Promise to her, that tore my heart and made it two."

"Squall..." Quistis replied slowley "She didn't leave you so that..."

"She didn't leave me. I abandoned her. I just let them take her. I should have gone after her, I should have..." Squall broke off from what he was about to say, turning his back to Quistis' face.

"You did go after her. It's not your fault, It's what she wanted. If you had gone after her, Ultimecia would have possessed her again. Not to mention what would have happened to Elone, to Laguna...!"

"Don't talk to me about him." Squall interjected "If he hadn't have lost control of his government and let them take her in the first place, none of this would have happened..." Squall suddenly stopped, and looked back to the moon, "But no... she would have still gone, she was terrified Quistis, Everything she said made sense, I've never seen her so forceful. I.. should have fought harder."

"You did fight, Squall! Then and later! They would have killed Laguna, you would have lost all the family you have left. Even if you had gotten to her, you would have had to kill her in the end, if she was possessed..."

"Did you ever know, my dear Quistis" said Squall, with the look of utmost despair on his face. "That I promised to do exactly that? I told her that I would be her knight no matter what. And when they took her from me in that field, I promised I would await her return. So no Quistis, I will not be consoled. She cannot be happy up there. It must be torture for her. Why should I be happy, what right to I have, when she is imprisoned thus!"

Quistis looked at Squall, He had fought so hard Rinoa. She had changed him. He hadn't cared before, now he would die a hundred times over for his friends. For Rinoa. He had fought like a dead man against Ultimecia. Now he lived like a dead man.

"Is there anyway of getting her back?" Quistis said, after a long pause. You rescued her from space once..."

"Don't you think i've thought of that?" Squall snapped. "Sorry Quistis, No. It seems as if I have been cut off from her be her own hand. She had them take the Ragnarock remember? It was the last ship of it's kind, and it accompanied her to her fate. Even if they were to make another it took hundreds of years of gathering the required amounts of fuel just to run that thing."

Quistis hung her head, there was no way she could have known the fuel requirements for such a vessel. A silence hung between them for a long time. The Moon watched.

"There is something I haven't told you." Squall said at last. "When I defeated Ultimecia, I got lost in the compression. I wandered for a long while. Eventually I found myself at the Orphanage. I saw Ultimecia. I saw her pass her powers onto Edea. I witnessed, even influenced the creation of SeeD. But even after that I wandered. I walked into infinity, and when I came out, I was lying in a bed of flowers. In that same place she was taken from me. She saved me, Quistis. I'm sure of it. But I'm powerless to help her. Even if I could, She would not accept it. Did you know that she said she no longer wished to be with me?

"Squall, she was just trying to..."

"I know what she was doing. Yet, when I think back to the flowers... I know she loves me, Quistis. There has to be someway of getting her back..." Squall's frame shuddered, as if releasing sorrow it could no longer contain. Quistis did not want to see him shed a single tear, yet the pain she felt now, emanating from his body, was too much for her to witness. She fled.

The party was well over when Squall stalked back to his dorm. His dreams had been getting worse. But they were sweet. Images of Rinoa falling into his arms after he releases her from her prison, draping her body over his as the fumes which were meant to contain her rejoice at their own release. When he slept, she would stay with him for hours. In the Dream they left the memorial behind, favouring instead the garden with the flowers. Where he made his Promise. At that point in the dream he would be reminded then: That this was not. It was a dream, both in form and in desire, and try as he might, he could never get it back. It was at that point in his nightmare, that it seemed that all the sorrow, fear, and regret which his mortal frame could not contain during his waking hours poured into him. He would fall down on his knees, and let it wash over him, all the while crying light.

He knew full well that it was Griever's powers which gave him such nocturnal visions. He had been juctioned to him ever since he ripped him from Ultimecia. This grief was his prize. A pale reminder of what could have been. A dream. A fantasy. And he would cling to it even if it was the last Dream he ever owned. Griever would not let him forget. He would allow him to experience joy and sorrow to their fullest. Even without Griever his Dream would die hard. No. it was gone, even now, seemingly so soon. But it was not. It had been ages. Griever had kept the pain raw. But tonight: Tonight was special. It was her Birthday. Tonight he would sacrifice the breif pleasure of his dreams transient company. He would Unjuction Greiver and allow himself to hope. Griever allowed him power. Power to dream of her. Power to feel the pain he condemned upon himself. Power to drive himself to sorrow unimagined by normal man. But Hope was something different.

"Rinoa" Squall wispered, looking at the moon. Hoping that she too, could see it. "I promised I would wait. I promised to leave you to your fate. We used to argue, all the time, late into the night about the tiniest little thing. And I loved you all the more in the morning. But I promised to let you have this one. But... I cannot wait for wise Death to judge between us. Forgive me, but tonight I have felt hope, something which I thought was stolen from me long ago. Is it wrong for me to wish you back? Now that what you feared is gone? Everything, Rinoa, all your reasons, all that we came to odds with. Too long have I played your gaoler. I am your knight, and I think I have at last found a way to free you from your tower. The moon herself will shed tears for Griever. For me. For Us. And she will bring you back to me. Heaven forgive me."

Squall waited up all night, like he and Rin had done so many times before. When he was awake, hope seemed almost as real as his sorrow. He knew this to was an illusion. He knew to condemn the world to another Lunar Cry, it should have to share his pain. But Dreams last so long.

_A.C.P.S: My apologies for those who did not enjoy that. Hopefully there are some lighter moments to be reflected upon as we attempt to drag Squall out of the pit the Griever dug for him. I think Squall plays the tragic Hero almost has good as he plays the reluctant one. Flames welcome, I've always wondered what cooked awesome tastes like. Might even be as good as toasted cheese._


	2. Shadows of the Heart

Irvine didn't know why Selphie was overreacting. I mean she even thought of it first, it's not like she hadn't expected it to happen at some stage. Her negative reaction had caught Irvine off guard. He thought she would be happy at the prospect of a third person in their relationship.

"But No", mused Irvine, "She had to to have an emotional outburst, and storm away". Leaving him with his newest partner in crime. She at least seemed to understand her position in their relationship perfectly. He had taken her back to his dorm rooms so she could get to make herself at home. Irvine put the conditioner back on the in shower rack. He was quite a deep person, and enjoyed the time that the shower gave him to think. He knew Selphie would be back, and he had to look his best if he was going to pitch his proposition at her again.

"IRVINE! YOU THOUGHTLESS BARSTARD! HOW COULD YOU BRING HER BACK HERE!". That was Selphie, most of the time he liked that when he thought about her she seemed to pop out of thin air, but it did have its disadvantages. He sighed as he moved the shower curtain out of the way, sigh again when he realised that he had "once again" forgotten to put a mat down. Shrugged it off and grabbed a towel. Neither Selphie or his new guest was ready to see him in such a degree of undress. Grabbing his hat, which he had hung up outside his bathroom, he went out to the lounge to confront the pair.

Selphie was staring daggers at her.

"Guess, you haven't come to tell me you changed your mind."

"Irvy, how could you be so thoughtless! Did you even consider this from my point of view?"

"I thought I did! It was you who suggested it would spice up our relationship!"

"I know!" Sephie retaliated, "But I meant a dog! Or a Chocobo! You KNOW I'm allergic to cats! This she said with particular emphasis directed against said feline, who, still only being quite small, (and in Irvine defence quite cute), hissed and ran into the next room.

"Ah, okay well that explains a lot pumkin." Irvine said slowly "I honestly thought it was dogs. I did think about that, I'm... sorry?"

"Well I'm going to be..." Selphie interrupted herself with a particular large sneeze "Sneezing, every time I come in here now!"

"Okay, Okay, she'll go!" Appeased Irvine "I'll get rid of her, just don't be angry! You know I love you right?" Selphie looked at him, sneezed, and then giggled. The Kitten, seemingly taking this to be a sign that everything was alright for it to come back in into the room, jump up on the table near where Selphie was standing. At the moment the door burst open, resulting in a rather peculiar chain of events. In some rather unique acts of physical movement, involving a startled cat, some empty glasses, two chairs, Selphie, and unopened wine bottle and a light bulb, and resulting in some minor lacerations, a failed attempt from Irvine to help, the loss of his hat (though NOT his towel), some broken glass, and a fit of Sneezing, all of which mixed together on the floor like split spaghetti.

Xu, to her credit was only marginally set back, and after a moment of silence stated the reason to her intrusion.

"Has anyone seen Squall? He didn't show up in his office today, and I've been looking all over Garden for him!"

"Squall, oh he is probably just exhausted from last nights party" reasoned Irvine, as Selphie was still sneezing "Have you tried the Quad? He sometimes goes there to think, or to the balcony in the training area, which is, heh, supposed to be a secret, but everyone knows anyway".

"Irvine" deadpaned Xu "Fisrtly, that party was TWO nights ago, which you would have known if you didn't sleep through all of yesterday. Secondly, yes, I have tried the Quad, no one seems to have seen him. Thirdly, nice towel."

Irvine tipped his now-recovered hat, "Thanking you ma'am, my grandpappy would always say, "Son, a man should never bee seen without his towel."" When he looked up Xu was gone, leaving the door half closed behind her. Selphie, meanwhile, had picked herself up off the ground, accosted the cat, and thrust it into Irvines arms.

"Get rid of it" She said "and i'll see you Tomorrow. Without that monster."

Irvine tried to explain that it was a cat, not a monster, and that furthermore it was a "she", but Selphie had already slammed the door behind her.

"Well" he said, addressing the cat, "I think I have thought of the perfect person to donate you too..."

* * *

Xu, who only ever went to Irvine dorm as a LAST resort, concluded her pick and comb search through Garden, and headed back to Cid's Office. It was en route that she received a page from Nida, and changed her course tot he security room.

"Xu, hey" Nida warmly said, "I though you might want to have a look at this." He guested toward one of the screens before him. "When you told me that Squall was missing, I immediately started going through the security footage, to see if he had gone anywhere."

"Excellent work Nida" replied Xu, "always thinking one step ahead. Now I assume that since you have called me here you must have something to show for it? What are all these Empty Screens I see before me?"

"You are right when you say that they are empty. I have watched over each and every room, and Squall leonhart did NOT leave his dorm that night. So I thought to myself, Why is it So?" He looked at her, as if waiting to be congratulated, realised he hadn't said his punchline, and continued "A SeeD of Squall Caliber would never miss a such an important meeting, and I very much doubt anything but an army of sick Malbaros would be able to stop him from doing anything he wanted. Thus I concluded that he has disappeared of his own will."

"you called me here to tell me..."

"Hush," Interjected Nida "Not done. Squall has an intricate understanding of Garden's Cameras, and is probably only one of a handful that could get past them, and even then only while heavily juctioned." He paused while Xu eyed him off. "As you know, we have moved back to our primary docking point, outside Balaam for the Semester. But what you do not know, is that before the war, Norg comissioned a number of cameras to be placed in the woods outside of Garden, so he could watch his SeeD and Cadets train in an uncontrolled environment. Squall wouldn't have know this either, and so wouldn't have know to avoid them. Lucky for us they were all wireless. I've been working on getting them up and running now that we..."

"Cut to the chase Nida, honestly I don't know why I put up with you. Do you have him on camera or not?"

"What if I told you maybe" said Nida, appropriately chastened. "Look at this." He played a video loop of about 5 seconds, which showed a shadow pass the screen. It could have been human, save for the speed at which it was moving. Most would have passed it off as a shadow only that it seemed to use the tree in front of the camera like a momentum break to alter is course slightly, causing it to shake respectably. Xu exhaled audibly.

"He must have had to cast Haste ten times to get that kind of speed."

"What do we do now?" inquired Nida

"We should inform the Headmaster right away."

* * *

"So what you are trying to tell me is," clarified Cid, "Is that a Class S SeeD has gone Awol, and stolen multiple Guardian Forces, for an unknown reason, with an unknown purpose, with your only evidence being a tree that shook in the wind, and an empty dorm room?" Cid shook his head "All it seems to me is that Squall is just going through a tough time at the moment and is taking some much deserved, if spontaneous, days of work. Besides, i'm looking at our files here and it says that the two GF that he uses most at not even with him, the files say that he has lent Shiva to Ms Trepe, and that Bahamut hasn't been used since the war one year ago."

Xu looked questioningly at Nida, who shrugged.

"There has to be an explanation." Replied Nida "It would have been impossible for Squall to get out of Garden without a GF. Considering some of the jumps he would have had to make, the spells he would have had to cast... he had to have had one. Logically speaking that means that he must have a GF that is not on our records."

Quistis, who was standing next to Edea off to the side, Now spoke up.

"That actually may be the case. I'm sorry I didn't mention this before Headmaster. You know that when we fought Ultimecia, she also used a GF, One that we were unable to draw from her, it was so closely bonded. Well Squall did manage to do just that. He then turned it's power against her other GF Tiamat who was preventing us from attacking her with full force. I had assumed that it was lost during his wanderings in time compression, as he was gone far longer than any of us."

"How," ask Cid "Was Squall able to to draw something out of Ultemica, when Four other SeeD's could not?"

"I can only assume that he had some natural affiliation that was strong enough to attract the beast to him, from it's original host. No, there is something more in it than that, The GF he stole was Griever, who's image he hangs around his neck and on his gunblade."

Edea, who up until this point had been silent, stood up.

"As much as we like to know that we understand the Guardians, we must keep foremost in our minds that there is still much we do not know. Up until 50 years ago, these forces we now presume to play with were thought fair stories, with imperfect information about them preserved only in myths. Why in this last year we have had numerous encounters with these Spirits. We Rescued Bahamut from his self imposed prison, and we should remember that the King of GF's owe us very little. We found Siren, who was found, like the old stories tell us, in the shadow's of heaven. It is possible that Squall's pendant also housed a GF, it is not unheard of. Perhaps this Spirit, perceiving Itself in the present, chose to turn to Squall."

"It's true" Quistis added, "I once told Selphie about a GF I had read about who resided in a ring, and could only be coaxed out with the right ingredients. It was said that it appears differently in each age to each summoner. Once she found the ring, she rested at nothing to open it, and it appeared to her as a Train, of all things... she named it something equally ridiculous as well..." Quistis shook her head at the memory of it.

"So even assuming he has a GF" Xu, said, steering the conversation back on track, "where would he be going?"

"Well," said Cid "He may be going after Ellone? I told him to be patient with the new Estarian Democracy, but it is possible that he will try and regain custody. Either way, whether this is his goal or not, Laguna should be contacted. He is staying with General Caraway while he recovers, yes?

The sound of her Husbands voice faded away as Edea stared out the window. The skies darkened outside, rich thunderheads ready to burst over a dry land. The whisperings of Bahamut worried her. She occasionally junctioned him to train what little magic ability she had left. Bahamuts power was needed to amplify hers to be even noticeable. She had learned afterwards that Bahamuts true power lay in his knowledge, and he was the source of the information she had volunteered during the meeting. He urged her caution. His Wisdom was unmatched, but there were a select group of GF that were is betters in raw power. Ellone, Edea decided was a good place to start. While the other did that, she would pay a visit to Odine. The prunish Imp that he was, he did know what he was talking about – and she needed answers. About GF, about her powers, and about Rinoa.

Review. or Squall will come for you.


	3. Shuffle or Boogie

_And they'll sit at the bar, _

_And put bread in my jar,_

_And say: "Man what are you doing here!"_

_-Billy Joel, Piano man _

It was late Saturday evening as the regulars poured in from working too hard on a day that should have been used for rest. Seifer eyed them off one by one as he sat in the corner of the small dingy bar. Fisherman's Horizon could hardly be called a hub of modern culture, and few of the ageing population warranted a second glance. Unlike what one would expect, Seifer hardly cut the lone ranger look in the corner of the bar. After the war he had would up between worlds at Fisherman's Horizon, and ended up working for an old Estarian fisherman who's only goal in life was to attempt to be as traditional as possible. The old man sat in the chair opposite Seifer, groaning about being old and the effect that Garden had on the fish population. They had just come from fishing from the southern bay, so they got a good catch, despite the floating Centran fortress. As he had made his way from the fisheries Seifer had found time to slip back into his white trench coat. This coupled with a traditional Estarian fisherman's garb formed an outfit which was not to dissimilar to what he had worn during the war, except for the addition of the straw fishing hat, which he had grown quite fond of. Now, as every other Saturday night, he found himself sitting opposite his boss in a run-down pub, filled with geriatrics. He did however have one consolation: Garden had docked. Seifer had mixed feelings about Garden. So far they hadn't attended any arrests, and if they were here in FH then something was bound to be happening. So that was good. On the flip side, just because they haven't had time to come after him, doesn't mean they won't. A part of him wished they would. He wasn't meant to simply fish. For a brief while he had been one of the most powerful men on the planet. In many ways he still was.

"Hey sonny, I was just telling this fine sir here how man fish you can caught..." The Old man's ramblings brought Seifer out of his musings. The fine sir he was addressing was the serving girl, and the number of fish he had successfully caught was zero, but he was going to admit to neither of those facts.

"Cut out your mutterings, old man" Seifer responded "I don't get paid enough to listen to them". The old gentleman just waved him off. Turning back to the waitress he continued.

"He's not a bad sort, sir. Never caught a damn fish in his life I'll bet, but he knows where to find em, and he ain't half bad with a boat neither." The young lady just nodded and smiled, and when it became clear that neither the young man nor his boss were going to by any more sake, she moved on to the next table, in spite of the fisherman's continued attempts at conversation. Meanwhile Seifer let his attention drift back to the more of less steady stream of comings and goings. More young people were moving in and out now. The more popular gin joints being taken over, no doubt by the sudden influx of patrons from Garden. Instead of attempting to keep an eye on everyone in the bar, Seifer focused his attention on the two doorways.

A few minutes later he spotted two SeeD cadets he didn't recognise walk into the room. In their uniform they look oddly modern in the old and run down establishment. The sight of the these two, non-threatening though they were, gave Seifer better sense of judgement a kick start. He decided that he didn't want a catch up with Garden just yet. He pulled out his wallet, put some gil down on the table, and stood up. He farewelled the old fisherman, and told him that he was not going to be in town for the next couple of weeks.

"That's just fine sonny" the man replied "you would have to be the oddest young man I have met, but I've liked having you on. Let me know if you are ever in town again, goodness knows you 're a hard worker, and I'll wager she might even repay you with a fish next time we go out!" Turning to the poor waitress, who had come hesitantly over to collect the used glasses, he continued as if she never walked away. Leaving her to her fate, Seifer walked up to the barman.

"I'd like to have her back now, I'm heading off" Seifer bluntly stated. The confused look on the barman's face only lasted a second, before he nodded and went out the back. He returned holding the Hyperion, and placed it respectfully on the counter.

"You know, most other people keep their knives and guns in their pockets." The barman said slowly. "But, I appreciate you handing this one in. It's not often you see something like that."

Seifer largely ignored him, instead he picked up his weapon, and gave a soft salute, before sheathing it at his side. As he turned to go, the barman stopped him.

"Solider." he called out after him, "What the hell is a man like you doing here?" Seifer looked over his shoulder, preparing all the while several witting remarks to sling back, but all of them were blown away by the figure who chose at that time to stumble into the doorway.

It was not Quistis' most graceful entry. Seifer noted that she had clearly been in a hurry. Well, at least he did, after his heart caught up the few beats it had missed when she appeared in the doorway. Standing tall once more she continued to briskly walk, purposefully toward the bar. She had seen him, the grin on her face betrayed as much. The smile however quickly became mingled with an expression considerably more urgent. She brushed past the stunned Seifer, pushing a paper something into his hand, before continuing to go and scold two confused cadets. Seifer meanwhile had barely taken two steps since she first appeared. He started to walk forward again, glancing down at what was now apparent as an envelope, he read the words, "SeeD are coming, _Run_" written in a steady, clear hand on the front.

Seifer glanced back a Quistis, who looked up from her self imposed disciplinary duties to give him a sympathetic smile. He held her stead glare for half a moment, before stuffing the envelope into this jacket pocket and rushing out the door.

Irvine spotted Seifer through the crowd as he came out of the old bar. He had been asigned as part of the task group to bring him down. Orders from top. He had taken the job from Galbadia Garden, which was now run by a committee. In reality, he didn't work for Galbadia any more, but General Caraway, one of the most influential members of the board, had called it in as a special favour. Irvine did owe the man, so he had taken the assignment. That was before he had known it was one of his childhood friends. Out of all the task force assigned to kill Seifer down, Irvine was sure he wanted to do it the least. Not that it was hard. Most of them wanted to see the Rouge SeeD dead for quite a while. He had killed many of their friends when he had taken control of , and many more when he attacked Balamb. They saw him as a rabid dog, and they themselves were itching at the collar to put him down. But that was not why Caraway now wanted him dead. The call had only come out after he learned about Squall going AWOL. Balamb Garden's first response reaction was to inform the new Estarian Peoples Republic about the rouge commander, so that if he made any move to reclaim his sister from them, they would be unable to use it to declare war on Balamb. 's first response? Seifer Almasy must die. Curious, Irvine thought: he would follow this up.

Irvine figured he was Seifer's best hope at survival. For his part he had tailed Quistis. She couldn't have possibly known about the plot on Seifer's life, but she would know the best way to find him. He couldn't tell her his predicament, firstly and mainly because he would get scolded for taking the job, and secondly because it was against protocol. Irvine, like most SeeD, liked to work by the book. So he had just followed her. He knew she would try to find Seifer if they docked anywhere near him. Irvine always reckoned that she had a thing for him. Why else would she out of all SeeD follow him when he went after Squall and Rinoa? Now she had followed him again. Giving Irvine the chance to let Seifer know he was being hunted. He was sure he would be thanked later.

Irvine slowly shuffled and side steped his way through the crowed streets. Seifer had stopped just outside the bar, to reach into his pocket. Irvine's expect eyes picked up something else though. As he had swept the crowd he noticed that he was not the only member of his task force on the street. A barrel peeked out one window on a motel across from the pub. The features of of two other men, walking side by side from the opposite direction. For Irvine, time seemed to slow down. He had barely seconds to warn Seifer that a small battalion of highly trained killers was after his life, and that a handful of them moved within a stones throw of him. They all had their scopes on Seifer. This was their mistake. They should have been watching Irvine.

Irvine took one slow, perfect step before chaos broke loose in the the street. He turned his body around man, narrowly avoiding crashing into him. At the same time Kinneas reached into his long brown coat, his hand closing around his pistol, the Valiant. He saw everything line up, the gaps in the crowd, the bullet in its chamber. Completing his step, Irvine straitened his back, closed one eye, and pulled the trigger.

Seifer felt the bullet before he heard hit. It came out of a crowd of people and ripped a hole though his straw hat. His hand, which had been reaching for Quistis' letter, instead drew his gunblade, the Hyperion, almost solely by reflex. In the corner of his eye he saw a man recoil, and drop a gun that he had been drawing from his jacket. Seifers mind couldn't make sense of the scene. Had Quistis set him up? no. she wouldn't have. They had gone for him, but accidentally shot the one of their own men? Seifer's battle instinct quickly told him it didn't matter. He had to assume he was surrounded, and that more were on the way. He could think later. He needed to act now.

Seifer dropped to one knee seconds before more bullets impacted the pub windows behind him. He reached deep into his mind and called. Alexander answered. Of all the Guardian forces that Seifer had used, it was Alexander that he chose to take with him into exile. The GF had power that just fell short of Bahamut's, and the non elemental impartiality that matched Seifers outlook perfectly. Thinking quickly Seifer cast a haste and a scan, quickly identifying his attackers. These he followed up with a float and a fira to cover his retreat.

The crowd had mostly dispersed save for a few brave citizens, who thought it more prudent to cower on the ground. Seifer moved through the smoke created by his fira, took a run up at a wall, and vaulted up it, making an enhanced back-flip at the top to land on the opposite roof. Breathing heavily with the effort, he then broke across the rooftops of FH like a cat with it's tail on fire. It quickly became apparent that the men chasing him were not ordinary merc's, or assassins. They seemed about the size of a small army, and came out of the woodwork like white ants.

"Damn it, Quisty" Seifer cursed "Couldn't you have given me a little more warning?". Bullets flew through the air. Seifer cussed again. These were not the random spray that you would get from your ordinary military. They were precise, almost coordinated, assault upon his person alone. Seifer was quickly running out of roof for the third time in a row. This was solved by yet another slightly fantastic jump, followed by a tuck roll on the other side. Thanks to his haste spell, the bullets had been shy of his mark. Using a lull in the fire he took the opportunity to cast another. Haste only made a person marginally faster, and the general speed boost it gave did not tend to stack the more you cast it. What it did increase however was reaction speed. Seifer saw the bullets coming at him. It was the only thing keeping him alive at that moment. That, and the fact that his attackers didn't seem to have any Guardian forces. He thanked his stars whoever wanted him dead didn't have the gall to ask Irvine, because that would have been one gun too many. Seifer vaulted a rail, twisting his body mid air to avoid some particularly good shots. In amongst the bullets there were fire and ice spells. Using the same crude paramagic that Galbadian soldiers indulged in his attackers were attempting to take out is escape path. The ledge he was going to grab hold of iced up, his fingers vainly grasped at hand holds that were no longer there. Instead of falling 15 meters into the alleyway below him, his left arm shot out and found a window halfway down the building side. This small reprieve was short lived however, because a fira spell exploded into him, and completed the gambit the other spells and bullets had set up.

Shocked and wounded Seifer picked himself up off the ground. The remains of his hat falling to the bitumen paving. The SeeD's, (for it was apparent to him now that they were), were surround him. Once they had him cut off from both ends of the ally, and the rooftops above, one of their number stepped forward. Seifer, instead of attempting to escape the hopeless situation, had dropped his gaze to the ground, as if despairing or praying.

"Finally run out of awesome, have you, Almasy?" said the man who had stepped out from the ring of assailants. "Just as well, quite frankly, we were running out of bullets."

Seifer kept his gaze fixed on the ground.

"No smart ass remarks for us today?" the voice said. The SeeD took a few steps closer to Seifer. "You know, Almasy, there are quite a few here you want you dead with a lust, that is quite frankly, rabid. However, if you give up now, can come quietly, I'll see you alive to Caraway. That was his preference, I believe."

"Caraway?" Seifer said, still unmoving, "why would a guy like you, Ironwood, be working for him? These damn Galbadian toy soldiers I get, but you were one of Balaam's best."

"You've heard of me? I'm flattered. We figured you'd run, and even a fool would send at least a few SeeD's who knew how to handle a GF after you. Even the these Galbadian 'toy' soldiers, as you call them cared enough to master a little magic in their efforts to take you down."

"Well that explains how you kept up with me. But you didn't answer my question."

"..And I don't need to. To be fair the only reason you are still alive is because you court trial will do wonders for the right political party. Even the Estarians want a piece of you. You kinda did trash their city with a luna cry..."

It was at this moment that Seifer released the spell he had been preparing. The ensuing quake eroded the buildings around him, and the ally behind became a mess of falling rubble. But Ironwood moved just as quickly. As Seifer bounced off the wall on his right and lunged at him, Ironwood cast a particularly nasty gravity spell. This had a two fold effect, firstly it weighed the airborne Seifer down, and secondly it caused the flames that had been sent his way to rush in the opposite direction, burning the already punished Seifer. Seifer not to be outdone, landed semi-gracefully, and Slashing twice, created a wave of energy centred around a huge burning cross. It was Chimatsuri, or Bloodfest, and the effect blew every SeeD standing behind Ironwood to the ground. Ironwood himself however, had dived into his on gravity spell, which sucked him under Seifer's limit. Rolling to his feet, smooth as silk, he drew his broad sword, and engaged Seifer's gunblade. The Exchange did not last long however. The paramagic back up for the assailants arrived. The contented themselves to sit back and cast slow after slow upon the battered Seifer, until his blade could no longer match Ironwood's quick strokes. When it became apparent that even then Seifer was still managing to block, they ground him to the floor with "stop".

Seifer lay face up on the broken earth, with Ironwood's sword at his throat. The other SeeD's moved in, and he could already feel his conciousness give way to an overwhelming sense of sleep. Seifer's eyes began to close. He could barely hear Ironwood's closing remarks.

"Almasy, they say you struggle with the concept of 'mercy'. Pray that I I show it two you now." His voice was faint, but distinct. Seifer had respected Ironwood above all SeeD once. He was the one who had taught him how to use his Gunblade. Seifer had spared his life in the battle of the Gardens. What was he doing here now? Seifer was struck with a sense of bitterness. The barkeepers words echoing in his head. What _was_ he, Seifer, doing here now?

_AU: What is this? A third update? From I? Indeed. Miracles do happen. I apologise for any typos. I barely have enough time to write them, let alone check them. So please forgive me. _

_I have two housekeeping points. Firstly loving the attention that i'm getting. I had no idea so many people would view this humble fic! However, It seems only ONE of you is actually kind enough to REVIEW! _

_Thats right people. This time i'm blaming it on the fact that I, in my idiocy, promised a vengeful Squall to those of you who didn't REVIEW. I realise this was a mistake. I can't threaten you. Least of all with Squall, many of whom would see that as an incentive anyway. Thus here is my offer._

_For a limited time only, I will give out imaginary, melted cheese toasties. With just the right amount of tomato sauce and herbs. How can you say no to that? And if you CAN say no to that, tell me so. In a REVIEW. _

_I think you guys (and girls) get my drift. _

_Post Scriptum: will be starting future chapters in a similar manner to this one, with lyrics or poetry. Mainly because it helps set the mood for the fic. I don't own any of them. And am not making any money. Look them up and read them in full, then, if you like them, buy them off who does own them. (Now, that I'm giving them free advertising, hopefully I'm in the clear. :)_


	4. The Hidden Star

The Hidden Star

Half my body burns, half of it freezes.

Has God created, and can Heaven show,

An angel made like me from fire and snow?

Fire does not melt my snow, and who has seen

Snow coexsist with fire, as in Ramin?

_**The Romance of Vis and Ramin – Fakhraddin Gorgani**_

_**Forever ago...**_

It was late at night in the Centran Plains. The fated children were on their way back after searching for the legendary ruins that were supposedly to be found somewhere on the continent. They were two days journey away from Edea's orphanage, where they had arranged to be picked up. This particular night was quite clear. It was Squall's turn to keep watch. He was a bit of a night owl as it was, and most of the time he ended up doing much more than his fair share of the duty.

"Squall?" her voice was soft and hesitant. "Would you hate me if I said I was kinda bipolar?". Rinoa had insisted upon coming on the expedition. Squall, of course, had let her come. She had been growing on him, in her own way. This resulted in him catching sniggers from Irvine and Zell every so often. Selphie had even been so bold as to ask if he like her once, which had met with the appropriate level of silence, naturally. Selphie wasn't pleased, but cheerfully wasted a dispel on him none the less – just in case the silence was due to a mute spell, and not from his woolheadedness.

Squall looked up, and realised he still hadn't answered Rinoa's attempt at an apology. They had spent the last couple of days not talking to each other at all, because of a disagreement over honour and duty. Normally this wouldn't have been much cause for alarm. When he had first met her, he had kept conversation to a minimum, at least on his end. It kept things professional. But over the past year the war had raged on they had become quite close, at least at times. However, Rinoa's slightly more arbitrary nature sometime rendered him vexed.

"Squall? Squall? Earth to Squall? Permission to land?"

"...Sorry Rin, I don't feel like talking tonight. You said you didn't want to talk to me any more anywa... Are you threatening me?!" Indeed she was, she had her blaster edge levelled at his face "ready to land" as soon as it got the go ahead.

"Nope! I remember the last time I threatened to kick you!" She smiled uneasily, and took a seat next to squall. "But then you demonstrated that you could Tae-kwon-do me to "the moon and back". Hehe, even Zell was impressed. I am sorry about that, by the way." She gazed off into the distance and sighed. "I like it when you call me 'Rin'".

"What do you want Rinoa?" Squall shifted his cross-legged position so his back was facing her.

"I wanted to say sorry. You have saved my life more times than I can count. I should respect your opinion more. You live by your word. I understand you sense of honour, and duty."

"Is that so."

"Nope! Well sorta. I mostly just wanted to talk to you again. But am still very thankful of that duty you seem to have towards me, your client!" Rinoa shifted her back to match his, and started to lean on him, staring up into the sky as he was. Turning his cold gesture quickly into a intimate situation in a way only she could pull off. They both lay like that for a small while. Squall could feel her beaming at him through the warmth of her back.

"Rin?" Squall said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Is that a new Blaster Edge?" He heard her palm collide softly with her face.

"Sure is, boy!" she said playfully exasperated. "Brand new, one of a kind"

"Don't be like that. You were the one pointing it at my face. Why is it better than the Shooting Star?"

"Hmmm, two reasons mainly. Firstly the projectile itself is black, so that when it's night, like now, the enemy can't see it coming, and secondly, I've junctioned Flare to this one, so it will burn them up like a supernova! I designed it myself, but it doesn't have a name yet. Any ideas?

"The Hidden Star then?"

"Perhaps" she said smiling, "though I wanted it to reflect myself a bit more."

"And are you not hidden?" Squall suggested

"Well, I don't see how I am." Rinoa countered.

"Well I can't see your face right now..."

"You could change that, you are after all the one who turned away from me."

"This moon must be getting to you, if you think _I'm_ going to _change_ anything."

"Maybe you should stop fighting the moonlight, and let it get to you! You know I like you right? Rinoa voice soften as she finished her sentence. Squall felt her back tense as she waited for a response.

"It seems to me that you must like mystery then. You are always going on about how I don't share anything. And yet it seems that you have taken on some Mysterious qualities yourself. You've even painted your Blaster Edge to match my Gunblade." As she listened to Squalls reasoning Rinoa relaxed again. Somehow she would get what he thought about her out of him. At least he didn't wall up as soon as her feelings were mentioned.

"The Hidden Star it is then. Oh and Squall... I painted it to match you" She elbowed him in the ribs then, causing the both of them fall on their backs in the soft Centran grass. Squall stole one look at the profile of her face, before returning his gaze to the heavens. He knew that he did feel for her. But he also knew he shouldn't. Every time he tried to love something it was moved beyond his reach. They lay quite for several minutes. Squall decided that he would watch a little longer and let Irvine catch his zzz's. Who needed sleep anyway. The Sun would rise soon.

"When we get back to Garden," Squall whispered, "We will head up and liberate Balaam from Galbadia Garden. It is mobile like we are now. It was a shame we didn't find those ruins. We could have found something out about our new Garden." Squall tried to look over at Rinoa, but she had turned her shoulder, and was breathing soundly, asleep.

**Present Day**

Squall look over the gorge which played host to a huge diamond like structure. He had been here before during the war. Yet the ruin, which looked as if it had been there thousands of years, had not been there that first time. This time, he felt, or rather saw, a presence in his minds eye. This had been the place he was looking for all those years ago. He felt power here, of many different sorts. He was not sure if he would find what he was looking for, but he felt that he would find what he needed.

It became evident, as he moved up the narrow stairs to the top of the structure, that the signs did match what he was looking for. The place seemed to run on a combination of magic and technology, in much the same way as garden. The first time he came here, he hoped for information that would help disable or destroy a Garden. Now he wished for information on the Lunatic Pandora. According to the memories he was witness to, it had lay dormant in Centra for years. It was almost certainly responsible for the destruction of the Centran civilisation.

Squall approached a door near the top of the structure. He saw the energy flowing from it. Looking up he stared into the ruby eyes of the Gargoyle that perched on the pinnacle of the ruin. It's eyes glowed in answer to his stare, and the doors opened, as if answering his will.

"_Well met, errant one_." The voice was heard by his ears and his mind at the same time, creating a strange, dual tone, which made Squall skin tingle. "_Ye should know, that ye hath been granted a singular honour. Many that would seek me, would first be subject to many trials. But I have been expecting you."_

_ "_How did you know I was coming?" Squall voice somehow remained firm. He was cautious of this spirit voice, but he drew confidence from the depth of his bond with Griever.

"_The same way ye knew where to look, how to see. You are as I, though young. One who is whole, yet incomplete._" Squall moved forward through the darkness of the room, to see a throne, and seated upon it was a large man, clad in dark armour, with a horned helmet on his head. He looked at Squall with eyes that saw, not only his skin, but his being. Squall felt attempting to call Griever has he had called Shiva or Bahamut. There was no answer.

"_Thou art an amusing one. How can you seek help from yourself? The Guardian you call Griever will not answer your call, as others do._"

"What are you saying?" Squall said softly "How is Griever different from normal Guardian forces?

"_The "Forces" as thou callest them, each have a purpose, a domain. Your people know that they feed off the memories of those who bond with them. The reason they do as such, is not because they need sustenance in order to exist, it is because they attempt to find a power that will complete them. Griever has found such in your memories. Thou hast been able to align with Griever so completely, that he now makes no distinction between his own consciousness and yours. So I will say again you cannot summon yourself_"

"I took Griever from in the future, If Griever has attached himself permanently to me, how will become into her presence?"

"_How cans't thou not see? But ah, you are young yet, in time, you will begin to see beyond your human limitations. The Griever in your future, is the Griever that was, It has already come to past. Your Future is Grievers past. He does not need to suffer it once more. You need to accept, that Griever has found a place deep within you to neutralise himself. That is what we all strive for. Most of us do not care for existence. What is left of Griever is in you, and will die with you._"

"I know a man who would love to speak with you." Squall said thinking of Dr. Odine bitterly. "So Griever has force the burden of his domain upon me, and now I can no longer unjuction him?"

"_No. You accepted his powers of despair, in order to avenge your own loss. As time passes so to will Grievers collected memories. I am glad for him. The burden of despair was heavy. Even heavier than mine. But, yes,_

"So you are a Guardian Force." Squall said with finality, "and pray tell, what is your burden?"

"_I AM ODIN, and my realm is DEATH_."

"And what trial must I pass in order to gain your aid?"

"_No mortal can stand against my sword. Thou wouldst merely have to show me thine own honour and prowess, lion hearted. But ye have become something more than mortal. Plus you have served Hyne's own. We shalt meet in single combat, for I consider ye one of our own. If thou can best me, I will join ye. Does thou accept the terms of combat?"_

"I shall" Squall whispered.

"Then ready thy blade, fated one"

Odin slowly rose out of his throne. Squall noticed for the first time he clutched a huge, curved sword in his hand. In the sky, the moon took same deadly shape, and looked down upon the duel that would shortly ensue.

Squall drew his Gunblade, all the while eyeing Odin's blade.

Odin moved, and in a flash the huge blade swept at squalls head. He barely had the reflexes to throw his body backwards. As he did Squall's pendant was caught in the path of the blade, and it was cut from it's chain, without a sound. Squall allowed his body to continue falling till it hit the ground, at which point he curled up into a ball, and rolled backwards onto his feet. The whole action was so fluid, that Squalls sword point was back up in a defensive position before Odin could strike again.

He did not however. Odin stooped and picked up the fallen pendent. Squall noticed that the pillar he had been standing near also bore the marks of Odin's blade. Yet even with his ears, Squall had heard nothing except the ghostly rasp of the blade as it had moved through he air.

Squall had been a student of Centran History, and knew of the Guardian force Odin. More importantly, he now drew upon memories that described his sword. Zantetsuken. The Iron cutting sword. It was said that it could cut though any earthly object. Squalls eyes darted to his own sword.

"Thou hast realised, that ye cannot attain victory" Odin said, looking at the pendent, "Thou shalt taste death today, and better for ye that you do, then let you live with such a burden."

Squall cursed under his breath. He could not leave Rinoa up there, not matter her wishes. Yet it seems that Odin had taken the decision out of his hands. Odin was slowly walking toward him now, and he needed to think fast. He had become aware that Griever had left him many parting gifts, when he buried his soul in him. It seems that his body was constantly benefiting from spells that he would normally have to cast. Lucky for him, for otherwise Odin would have bisected him with his first technique. Squall was faster, stronger, and harder than ever, in addition he could see things that he could not before, he saw with Griever's eyes. He felt Grievers pain, through his own. He would not die here, and if death was against him, then he would fight it with life. He juctioned life, regeneration, protect and lastly curaga to his Gunblade. As the spells imbued and permeated his weapon, Odin's gaze turned from his pendent, to him. Odin smiled.

"_Verily, thou art a worthy adversary_." And so they danced.

Their blades twirled and spun, their bodies weaved, stepped and dodges each others ripostes, parries and slashes. The great sword of Odin, cut everything it touched, but the Lionheart withstood it's blows, and the small chips and nicks it did make, were soon repaired by the magic squall put into it. Squall struck out with Odin with every bit of martial expertise he had. No part of his body was spared, his feet were only on the ground half the time, his body never stopped moving, never stopped spinning. But Odin took it all: slashes, strikes, kicks, Ice and Fire. Flame blackened every pillar, ice spun around Squall, biting into Odin, freezing over his burnt armour. Although the ice tried to impale him, Odin endured everything. him Squall entered the stance for his Renzokuken for what seemed like the fifth time. Odin blocked almost every strike, and those he didn't were dodged for barely able to scratch his armour. Even though flame flowed from the Lionheart every time Squall pulled the trigger, it rolled off Odin, as he moved through his own ancient sword patterns. Squall entered the End of Heart form, emotion fell away from him, emptiness consumed him. He felt Odin's joy in the battle, he felt his left arm being scratched, he felt the blood flow. Ice and Fire ceased working separately, and now moved like one hybrid element, engulfing his blade. Only Ultimecia had felt such force before. But Odin could not die, no matter how much he wanted to. Squall's last strike in the form slipped past Odin's defences, and plunged into his chest. Squall had dropped down onto one knee to deliver the blow, thrusting forward, his eyes closed, body heavy with exhaustion. He opened his eyes. Odin's blade had stopped centimetres from his neck. Squall realised with a heavy heart, that he had not won, but had been spared death from what would have been a sacrificial kill. He released his grip on the gunblade, and sank to the floor.

"_Enough_." Odin voice rang though the hall, his body faded, and the Lionheart fell to the ground. "T_hou hast fought well, and earned my respect tenfold. I will travel with ye, my power is thine._" Squall rose from the floor, as Odin reappeared seated upon his throne. He retrieved the Lionheart and made his way to the door. When he left the room, Odin's spirit followed. "_Thou hast a question, if I can, I will will answer._"Squall, looked up and the crescent moon in the Sky.

"What do you know of the Lunar Cry?"

AC: sorry, I had this up for a bit, but my **one and only reviewer** graciously pointed out some improvements that could have been made. Much happier with this one. The quote from the start is from a very nicely written poem. I haven't finished reading it yet, so I can only recommend the first half. Hopefully you guys liked the channel flick back to Squall's POV. I also hope that the time jump back wasn't too out of place. If you do or don't, please Review. I once accused someone I used to know of being addicted to reviews. She may very well have been, and this chapter is published in her honour. I understand the value of feedback now :).


	5. And Even though It all went Wrong

I've seen your flag on the marble arch,

Love is not a victory march:

It's a cold and it's a broken

Hallelujah.

_Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen _

_**G**_eneral Caraway looked out the window of his office. He never liked waiting, he was a man of action. But waiting was often necessary, especially for the best gambits to work. He had never trusted the SeeD elite. He never trusted anyone with too much power. It had cost him too much in the past. SeeD. A force dedicated to killing sorceresses. It was an idea that he could get behind. His only problem with them were their methods. They came far to close to being sorceresses themselves. Fury Caraway was not a stupid man. He knew the intricate differences between magic and para magic. He had studied extensively in the latter. But it left a bad taste in his mouth even time he though about having to use it. And Guardian forces! They were power incarnate, akin to, and as dangerous as a sorceress herself. They were not to be trusted. Respected yes. But not trusted. But everything had their uses. And a man who willingly juctioned a Guardian force was a valuable asset.

Gaurdian forces had always been viewed with a deep sense of fear and superstition by the Galbadians, who saw them as rebellious fractions of nature who dared oppose Hyne for forming mankind. But then the Galbadians hated Hyne and Sorceress with twice the vehemence, so Caraway figured in Galbadia a man could hate what he wished. He himself theorised that the GF's were the ones that turned mankind upon Hyne, and it was by their magic that he was forced to submit. He had no proof, of course, but if it was true, then it would be ironic that SeeD now used that same power to hunt the Daughters of Hyne.

Daughters... the General felt a stab of pain and regret. Hyne had taken away his only jewel. His last living link to his beloved Julia. GF had been nothing more than a Myth before Odine had announced his success. Even now, most Galbadians did not believe in them. But they did believe in the power of a Sorceress. Centuries of war had made sure of that. Just when he thought that the public would be able talk of the Daughters of Hyne in more than just hushed whispers, Edea had to go and kill their president, and start a whole new war. His beloved Rinoa would never had been able to come home. Thinking about her made him so proud, yet so sad. Such a sacrifice. Such a burden.

A ringing phone sudden brought Fury out of the darkest places of his heart. After answering he listened in alarm for half a minute before, thanking the caller and putting the phone down. Frowning he called for Commander Ironwood, to come to his office. The tall man promptly strode into the room as if he had been expecting the call. In reality, they all had. That was part of the plan. Caraway didn't like Ironwood. Their were very few people Fury couldn't stare down. He much preferred the previous Commander, who had been easy enough to manipulate because of his bond with his daughter. Of course it was Squall's fault that Caraway was locked away in this compound of his.

"He has chosen to go after Ellone, Ironwood." Caraway said softly. "The facility under which the Estharians have her imprisoned is under attack buy a single individual.

Ironwood nodded as if he had been expecting the comment. He seemed to expect everything. "What is the first order of business?" he responded. Though he knew the answer.

"Almasy is to be terminated. It can't be helped, he cannot be allowed to live."

When Caraway had come to Ironwood with his concerns, he had to admit, he had been impressed. Within hours of Squall being branded as going Awol, the man had deduced not only his objective, which was unthinkable to most people, but also his method. Ironwood had guessed at what his best pupil wanted to do, and his heart felt for the poor boy. But Fury had already figured out that the only way to get Rinoa back to earth was with a Lunar cry, (no doubt because of careful consideration already on his part). In addition to this, he also guessed at Squall's first objective. The only one who had knowledge of how the Lunatic Pandora work was the Sorceress Ultimecia. And he only man alive who this information was given was Mr. Almasy. Ironwood had agreed with the dangerous knowledge his other former student possessed, and had agreed to lead a spear charge to capture him. Almasy was now held in this very compound. Which, although he could hold no where near the same amount of people as the D District Prison, was unmatched in security for a single occupant.

Garden had guess at Squall's other possible destination, but for completely different reasons. They thought he might be after Ellone because of his attachment to her. Which may still yet be partially true. Negotiations for her release after her capture in the Estharin revolution were travelling at snail pace. Now all hope of her release was gone. Thanks to Caraways admitted genius. He had seen that should he fail to find Seifer, He could use Ellone to get the information he wanted. He could possibly even talk to Rinoa herself. Ellone was an infinitely dangerous person. According to Caraway, more dangerous than even a sorceress. He had told the Estharian government as much, and dispite Laguna's protests, she was now in a specially built cell, designed by Odine to complete jar her power, and without hope of ever being free again. Ironwood was frankly surprised that Fury hadn't convinced them to kill her yet. Odine probably wouldn't allow it.

Thus the waiting game. Squall was bound sooner or later to make a move for either Seifer or Ellone. And he had at last responded to Fury's Gambit. Either location was a deathtrap. Seifer had been nearly impossible to take down. To stop Squall, Caraway claimed that they had to make him come to them.

"Who made the call" Asked the Commander hesitantly.

"It was Miss Trepe, she was placed in charge of the SeeD response in Esthar. I suppose you think it ironic that SeeD is now fighting for the very person they were trying to free?"

"Even enemies band together when faced with destruction." Ironwood replied coolly.

"So it would seem. Anyway, get Kinneas and Tilmitt to inform the other men. Looks like they won't be the ones who had to kill their comrade. He has chosen to go to his death elsewhere."

Ironwood was about to respond, when a man entered the room with a message for the General.

"Sir," the messenger said "The president and the leader of the opposition are here to see you personally. Apparently there is a matter they wish to discuss with you."

"Very well, let them into the compound." Caraway responded, looking at Ironwood out of the corner of his eye.

"I'll go and check on the prisoner" Ironwood muttered, before excusing himself from the room. As he left, his normally passive face moved into a frown. Today, one of his students were going to die. If he was unlucky both of them. And he could see no way out of it.

_**O**_din strolled silently toward his objective. If this Seifer fellow was truly the only one who knew how to operate the device known in this age as the Lunatic Pandora, then he had to be found. Humans, they never did no when to let sleeping dragons lie. Why would you want to move something that could reign hell down from heaven? Something so destructive it wasn't even useful as a weapon?

His long cloak billowed around him as he reached the compound. It was exactly where those nice gentlemen at the laboratory told him it would be. He shifted the helmet he carried hidden under his arm. To the guards he was slowly approaching he almost looked like a normal person. Albeit one masquerading as the angel of death. Unfortunately for the guards, who had more or less attacked on sight, he wasn't entirely masquerading.

_**Q**_uistis could only look on in horror as she watched the men _die_ on the surveillance camera, before that too was put out of existence. The small part of her that had hoped that Squall would come back fell on it's sword. She turn to Dr Odine who had just entered the room.

"Make ze call." the small impish man commanded. "He has chozen to tzy and rezcue Ellone. Probably ze smart zing to do. It iz vhat I vould have done."

Quistis looked at the man in disbelief. It was a testament to his character that he had manage to make her give him any attention at all, considering she just found out that she and Zell had to kill one of their best friends.

She look over at one of the other cameras as it went black. That one had been guarded by 11 B rank SeeD. A tear of desperation fled her eye, hoping to find the world outside of Quistis' head more bearable. She would have to try to kill him. It didn't help that a part of her wished it would be the other way round. He should have gone after Seifer, then those two boys would both be okay. Odine wouldn't have let them kill alone. But no one would stand up for Seifer. Caraway would put him down like a dog.

The Emotions conflicting within her stalled her reaction. Odine, shoving her to one side, had "made ze call" himself.

"Get to ze Hall, your exzuberant friend haz attempted to ztal him zher. He vill need your help. I vill go secue Ellone. I vill not let her be taken! If you don't get zher in time, vall back to ze chamber I designed to kill him, and ve vill stop him zher."

That clown really was something. He acted like he wasn't afraid of Squall's power at all! He proabably would go "fisticuffs" with him given the chance. Barring these thoughts from her him, she hasten to obey his orders. The SeeD at the gate had not even had time to summon their GF. Hopefully Zell had, Squall wouldn't kill him would he?

_**O**_din maintained his steady pace through the winding twist and turns of Odine's Ellone Facility. Men dying left and right of him. He entered a wide room. Hopefully he would bump into this Ellone person and be able to leave without killing many more people. In the center of a room stood a peculiar looking person deep in concentration. Too deep for Odin's liking.

"_It seem as if I shall gain some enjoyment from this after all..._" Odin said to no one in particular. The man with the yellow hair looked up at him, and Odin saw his eyes fill with relief. He had been a friend of the Young man then. Perhaps he should stay his hand this once.

Zell disappeared, reappearing just as kick Odin's neck. Only his foot never made contact. It was instead interrupted by Odin's left arm. His large helment, up till now hidden behind his cloak, dropped to the floor. But Zell did not stop. He heard how the men before him had died, and the sound of their cries edged him on. His limbs were a blur. His body he made bend and twist in ways it had rarely done before to avoid that deadly sword. His limit broken, Zell moved in his own slice of space and time. But Odin did not fall. He was barely touched. Zell had managed to make contact a number of times, all blows that should have shattered bones, but Odine barely look phased.

Odin had never seen a human move better. It was beautiful to watch. But it was time for the show to end. If he appreciated this art any longer he may draw more of this skill, or be unable to rescue the maiden Ellone trapped within before her captors decide it would be better to kill her. He struck out at the tattooed man, expecting to kill him outright. But to his mild frustration he missed. After one or two more strikes with his spare hand meeting with similar frustration, he swung his sword. But Zell had sensed his game was up. The moment before the blade hit square on the neck, he called Ifrits name. Ifrit's spirit took the brunt of the blow, but Zell was thrown backwards into one of the walls. Then came Ifrit.

"_Lord Odin_." Ifrit called as he was forming his body out of the flames that had awoken when his name was called. "_What are you doing here. Stand down, and do not make conflict with you"_

_ "Ye shall not do battle with me Ifrit, nor shall ye dissuade me from my purpose. You are not of a power that may resist my will_" Odin regally replied.

"_If you ask it of me, I shall desist. Yet I ask you not to harm this man further. For I am currently in his service, and will oppose you if you offer him harm_."

"_Granted, fiery one. Now leave me to my errand_."

Flame once again surrounded Zell's body, and Ifrit went as he came. Odin turned his attention to the door. Only to notice water come streaming out from under it, followed by the most perfect music he had ever heard.

_**S**_iren floated into the room, only to see Odin standing in the centre: dark and brooding as he always had been. Quistis ran in behind her. When she had replied to the poor girls supplications, she had not expected to meet Odin, of all people. She held Odin's dark gaze as Quistis ran over to check on Zell. It was a quite moment before either one of them spoke.

"_My lord Odin! Since when did you deign to achieve the desires of men?_" Siren spoke aloud in a mocking and familiar tone.

"_Don't bandy words with me, lady Siren. It is not my purpose to argue semantics with you now_" Odin's words were quite and bitter.

"_Nonsense, I remember a time when you liked nothing better! Stay awhile, and I shall sing for you. Though, you never really cared for music, did you?_"

"_Any right to familiarity with me you gave up a long time ago. And save me poisoned songs. Thy melodies do nothing but lead the heart astray, and feed the mind lies, and to deceive the tongue into speaking blasphemies._" Odin's voice had taken on a little feeling now, but his body remained still and rigid.

Siren twisted her beautiful face into a snarl at this open attack on her domain of choice. "_My music, is only as bad as your speech. It is true that music can stir the soul to both good and evil, to clam and quake, to reverence and ecstasy. Yet how is that more evil than your tongue? A small thing that deliverers truth and lies in the same breath. It steers your heart as much as my chords do._"

Odin opened his mouth, but found no words to reply with. Not because of any spell however. Looking over at the two humans in the corner of the room, he comment. "_Thou would do battle with me then? Dost thou think ye can defeat me? If the lady attempts to aid thee, I cannot guarantee her safety."_

Siren look over at Quitis, who was watching the interchange with awe. Muttering a silent spell, she placed a charm over Quistis and Zell, at once healing them, and putting them into a deep sleep. "_You never did get it Odin. You were always to focus on your rules and your honour. I did what I had to do. It was never your fault I had to go. You see too much of yourself in the young man you follow. You once loved the calming music I played to you. Do not hate it now because you think it can lead you astray. Do you hate your sword? It can save and destroy. Do you hate your tongue? It can lift up and tear down. Do you hate yourself? Can you not be noble and dark_?"

"_I do hate myself, dear Siren._" Odin lamented. "_Because I once knew love, and now it has been lost. Because I once trusted. I know thy reasons. But we once bled together, now take a care for mine._"

"_I didn't do what I did to fool you, Odin. I told the truth. It all went wrong. But it was the right way to do it. Surely you can understand that. You should have come with me_."

"_Enough of this Siren. I cannot fix my mistake, your mistake. Our mistake. But I can fix this boys. Stand aside, if ye still claim to have a heart._"

"_Odin, by aiding this young man on his quest you place a great many in danger. Sometimes it is better to do wrong, and save many, then to uphold the right of one!_" Sirens voice was becoming unstable. "_I will oppose you. I alone have the power to change you fate. None of them were as special as us two Odin. Life and death. You cannot survive long without me. Ours is a joint purpose._"

"_Siren._" Odin's voice trembled. "_Is the life of that girl really enough to make thee whole? Why have ye not begun to fade?_"

"_She did not subjugate me. I was passed to her from another."_

_ "But thou hast been absorbing her memories for so long, how are ye not whole?"_

_ "I was waiting for YOU, Odin. And now you are here."_ Quistis' body began to float toward Siren. Odin went to move to intercept them, but found himself bound by the power of Siren's voice. "_You, have come close to ending your pain with that young man's memories. Perhaps if Greiver had not claimed him first you would have. But now that I have seen you one last time, I can become complete without any trepidation."_

_ "Not wholly complete. Nevertheless, dear one. I shall not raise a hand against thy vessel. If she truly can give ye rest."_

_ "You are right. Our fates have always been tied, Odin. It is fitting that I should stop you here. I await your completion, so that we may become whole together. Do not make me wait over much, and I ask thee to abandon Grievers purpose. You no longer owe him anything._" Siren placed her small hands over Quistis' floating body, and surrounded her with holy fire.

_**O**_din watched as his beloved conciousness faded into the young ladies. He felt joy for Siren, and sorrow. Her pain was at an end, and she had used her passing to halt his purpose. Very few Guardian forces are aware of a vessel before they are forced to be made whole. Hers was an exceptional case. Lucky Griever probably didn't even recognise it happening. She, however, chose to implement it.

He watched as Siren's flame flickered out. He felt his body be able to move again, and moved out to catch Quistis as she fell. Holding her in his arms, he witnessed Siren's life move into the woman, and the last of her white flame die off Quistis' body. Quistis, limp in the arms of Odin, slowly opened her eyes. Odin placed her down.

_**Q**_uistis looked about in confusion. Siren was gone. She could feel her presence but in a different way. Zell was in the corner unconscious, and Odin... Odin was standing there, staring at her in a way that made her uncomfortable. She readied her whip, for battle. She was not as good at combat as the rest of the gang, but she would fight. She was simply thankful that she was not forced to fight Squall. But Odin never moved.

"_First Griever, and now thee, dear one. And how many gone before? Ye leave us sorry ones behind, but nay, I shall follow ye soon. But I can not give up on the boy so easily yet. There is nobility in his purpose._"

A small part of Quistis, understood what Odin had said to her, but the memory of it faded into obscurity. She watched as Odin turned around a walk back the way he came. Seemingly unwilling to do any sort of battle with her.

_**S**_eifer stood in his cell. It was pitch black. But he knew he wasn't dead yet. He had gathered very little of his location for those sent to give him food. But he knew that he was in the custody of General Caraway. He also knew that he couldn't move a foot in any direction. He had been forced to sleep standing for almost a week now. The days were becoming a little blurry. Somewhere around light less corners he heard a door open. Which was good. It normally meant food. He waited for almost ten minutes. But heard nothing further. No one was coming to see him.

"Damn Ironwood." Seifer muttered aloud. "And damn Caraway. Why don't they try me, or torture me or something. Anything better than just rotting here"

"Ironwood's here then." a voice said from the shadows. "That will make things complicated. As for something else for you to do, I have a proposal you couldn't possibly refuse."

A figure stepped forward, fire springing from his hand enough to light the confined room in which the cell was located. There was two fast slashing movement as well as the sound of metal being torn apart, and the bars surrounding him no longer provided any resistance to his freedom. Seifer smiled.

"Squall. Good to see you. I trust your well? What did you have in mind?"

_**AC:**_ And that is all for the moment ladies and gentlemen. A nice long chapter, hopefully it made sense. I thought about making Odin bumping into Odine, (and possible the tonberry king), but I didn't think it fit the mood of the chapter. Would have been funny though. :)

I do take questions, and criticism. But alas, that will be all for a little while. I'm going to the UK (mostly Scotland, twill be awesome) for the entirety of my mid semester break, and will be far to busy to be writing anything. However. This will give you lot plenty of time to write a review. Now I must apologise, as it seems I have been blocking Anonymous reviews. The Idiot that I am. So those are now very welcome. Ye are left without excuse. Adieu.

note. have just noticed a formatting problem, the lines i use to keep my POV's apart don't seem to be working. I've used bold letters and extra spaces instead. I apologies to those people who thought I was deficient.

PS. have changed the name of this chapter. i'm sure there is a way to do this other than taking it down and putting it back up again, but i haven't figured it out yet. The "special two" while a good way to describe Odin and Siren, didn't really sit well with me. It's a reference to a yet another sad song, like most of my other titles, yet i've changed it to the current title to reflect the happy state that Odin and Siren once shared. a Happy place a long time ago. There are infinite versions to Cohen's song. I like rufus Wainwright's the best. but it doesn't have all the verses. especailly the words in the epic last verse, some of which are taken to form the title. Probably over dramatizing the whole thing. But so did Virgil. So i have a precedent at least.


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